Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Personalising your Onboarding processes

Last year, we met with a potential client to discuss our hr onboarding software, HROnboard. He liked the system but was a little hesitant, saying “our whole new employee onboarding is so personal. Your software might take away from our personalised approach.”

I heard the same argument against automation almost 15 years ago. I was a consultant at the time, and everyone was building their own Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This was before Salesforce, Highrise or any other online CRMs. Besides building your own, your next best option was ACT!

As we rolled out new CRMs, some salespeople who were going to be forced to use them hesitated, saying “This is a waste of time – sales are more personal than this.” However, they found that the CRM tool actually created more time for them to make sales MORE personal. More people in the organisation could appreciate the breadth of relationship the salesperson and the company had with their clients. People got things done the right things done faster, with less explanation. There was also less ‘key-person’ risk and excellent metrics on how well the sales process worked. By automating the administrative tasks, there was more time to spend on the important things such as building trust and delivering on promises.

The CRM users also appreciated the ‘institutional memory’ that the systems created. People stopped asking them for information multiple times. Old paperwork could be retrieved within seconds and orders were taken correctly the first time.

Creating a ‘personal’ relationship is about creating trust. Using a smart system that remembers who did what and when helps that relationship – it doesn’t take away from it.

15 years on, we’ve seen so many more systems enter our working lives. Our HROnboard system helps automate alot of the administrative tasks associated with onboarding new staff members, but infact can strengthen the personalised approach to onboarding new staff members.

HROnboard allows you to send tailored letters of offer and welcome packs, which might include personalised welcome letters, videos and tailored marketing materials. Throughout the process, the HR Administrator can track the status of staff being onboarded and can make friendly reminders to request forms and documentation be returned. It ensures new employees feel welcomed, valued and prepared, with a favourable first impression of their new company. Equally, internal staff are well organised and prepared for the new recruit, to ensure they are onboarded efficiently with things such as phones, computers and equipment all ready before the employee arrives.

Through automating the onboarding process, you are also creating the impression of being a forward-thinking, and environmentally friendly company by going paperless and streamlining the onboarding process by eliminating data entry.

Automation in our eyes is a tool that can strengthen a personalised approach to onboarding staff.